'This could have happened here:' Jewish community reacts to synagogue shooting

The Jewish community and people of other faiths are gathering at the Beth El Synagogue for a memorial service Monday night, where they will honor the lives lost and make a call for action.

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Updated: 6:15 PM CDT Oct 29, 2018

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WEBVTT IS LIVE WITH THEIR MESSAGE TONIGHT. REPORTER: DAVID, ALEXANDRA, THE JEWISH COMMUNITY AND PEOPLE OF OTHER FAITHS ARE GATHERING AT BETHEL SYNAGOGUE FOR A MEMORIAL SERVICE TONIGHT. TOGETHER, THEY WILL HONOR THE 11 LIVES LOST IN SATURDAY’S SHOOTING AND ALSO MAKE A CALL FOR ACTION. >> THIS COULD HAVE HAPPENED HERE. REPORTER: FROM THE TREE OF LIFE SYNAGOGUE IN PITTSBURGH, TO THIS TREE OF LIFE IN OMAHA’S BETH EL SYNAGOGUE, SATURDAY’S SHOOTING HITS HOME FOR RABI STEVEN ABRAHAM. >> YOU LOOK THROUGH THE LIST OF THESE 11 INNOCENT SOULS WHO WERE KILLED, AND I LOOK AT OUR OWN CONGREGATION AND SAY TO MYSELF WELL, THAT GUY IS HERE, THAT’S THIS PERSON. REPORTER: MONDAY NIGHT, THESE PEWS WILL BE FILLED WITH PEOPLE. SOME A PART OF THE JEWISH COMMUNITY, OTHER’S NOT, BUT TOGETHER SHOWING SOLIDARITY AND TAKING ACTION FOR A SAFER COMMUNITY. >> THERE IS A LEVEL OF HATE SPEECH AND RHETORIC IN THIS COUNTRY THAT NEEDS TO BE TEMPERED DOWN. REPORTER: SCOTT KURZ WITH THE ANTI DEFAMATION LEAGUE SAYS ANTI SEMITIC ACTS ARE ON THE RISE ALL OVER THE NATION, INCLUDING HERE. >> WE’RE ENCOURAGING THE SYNAGOGUES AND EVERYONE ELSE TO REVIEW THEIR SECURITY POLICIES AND MAKE SURE THEY’RE AWARE OF ANYTHING THAT COULD BE HAPPENING. REPORTER: BETH EL HAS SECURITY AND OFFICERS WILL BE AT MONDAY NIGHT’S SERVICE. >> I WOULD LIKE TO LIVE IN A WORLD AND I ASPIRE TO LIVE IN A WORLD WHERE THE POLICE CAN GO DO OTHER THINGS AND DON’T NEED TO BE AT MY SYNOGOGUE. REPORTER: TO LIVE IN A WORLD LIKE THIS, SECURITY ISN’T THE SOLUTION. BOTH ABRAHAM AND KURZ SAY IT STARTS WITH CONVERSATIONS, UNDERSTANDING, AND ACCEPTING DIFFERENCES. >> TRYING TO FIND WAYS TO GET PEOPLE TO BRIDGE THAT DIVIDE I THINK IS THE MOST IMPORTANT THING ANYBODY CAN BE DOING RIGHT NOW. REPORTER: TONIGHT’S MEMORIAL SERVICE STARTS AT THE BETH EL SYNAGOGUE AT 7:00. THERE WILL BE NINE DIFFERENT SPEAKERS AT THE EVENT NEAR 1

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'This could have happened here:' Jewish community reacts to synagogue shooting

The Jewish community and people of other faiths are gathering at the Beth El Synagogue for a memorial service Monday night, where they will honor the lives lost and make a call for action.

Flags remain at half staff across the country to honor the victims killed in Saturday's shooting at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.

Robert Bowers, accused of killing 11 people and injuring six others, is now in the hands of federal authorities. He appeared in court Monday afternoon after doctors released him from the hospital. He will return to court on Thursday.

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Amidst the heartache, Jewish leaders in Omaha said they will not let hate win. The Jewish community and people of other faiths are gathering at the Beth El Synagogue for a memorial service Monday night, where they will honor the lives lost and make a call for action.

"This could have happened here," said Rabbi Steven Abraham.

From the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh to the tree of life inside Omaha's Beth El Synagogue, Saturday's shooting hits home for Abraham.

"You look through the list of these 11 innocent souls who were killed and I look at our own congregation and say to myself, 'Well that guy is here, that's this person.'"

Abraham said Monday night's service is a time for the community to come together in solidarity, but also to call for a safer community.

"There is a level of hate speech and rhetoric in this country that needs to be tempered down," Abraham said.

Scott Kurz, communications coordinator and administrator for the Anti Defamation League Plains States/CRC, said anti-Semitic acts are on the rise all over the nation including in Omaha.

"We're encouraging the synagogues and everyone else to review their security policies and make sure they're aware of anything that could be happening," Kurz said.

The Beth El Synagogue has security and Abraham said officers will be present at Monday night's service.

"I would like to live in a world and I aspire to live in a world where the police can go do other things and don't need to be at my synagogue," Abraham said.

To live in a world like this, both Abraham and Kurz said it starts with conversations to understand and accept differences.

"Trying to find ways to get people to bridge that divide, I think is the most important thing anybody can be doing right now," Kurz said.

The memorial service starts at the Beth El Synagogue near 144th and Dodge streets at 7 p.m. The service will feature nine different speakers.